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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. root — of a plant
  3. firm — a company
  4. wax — to grow
  5. file — a document
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. present — the time now
  9. root — of a word
  10. present — there
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. firm — decided
  14. mark — a trace
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. mark — a grade
  19. present — a gift
  20. lie — to recline
  21. file — a tool
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. firm — steady
  24. root — the cause

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com